Thursday Nov 8th 2018

THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER CELEBRATES THE SUCCESSFUL APPROVAL OF A HEADQUARTER HOTEL

The Miami Beach Convention Center (a Spectra-managed facility) is celebrating good news after Election Day! An overwhelming number of voting residents in the City of Miami Beach reached super-majority approval to lease public land for a privately-funded convention center headquarter hotel connected to the newly renovated Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC).

The future 800-room convention headquarter hotel (planned for the intersection of 17th street and Convention Center Drive) had long been considered the missing piece in the Miami Beach’s meetings and convention package. The newly-approved, privately-funded future hotel will competitively position the MBCC to secure more tradeshow and destination-wide meeting business, continuing to fuel increasing economic impact to the community by attracting more tourism and hospitality employment opportunities.

“The City of Miami Beach residents have spoken loud and clear” said City of Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber. “A super majority of nearly 64% is no easy feat and this is a huge victory for the City and for the community. The new privately-funded headquarter hotel, will generate funding for educational programs, traffic reduction measures and environmental resiliency projects.”

“The City of Miami Beach has been contemplating the development of a convention center hotel for more than two decades,” said City Manager Jimmy L. Morales. “In that span, the City has solidified its brand as an international destination for tourism, arts and culture, shopping, dining and entertainment. This privately-funded hotel will now make us a highly competitive convention destination that is anticipated to generate millions in annual revenue to benefit our residents.”

MBCC’s General Manager Freddie Peterson responded with enthusiasm, “The Miami Beach Convention Center is a magnificent facility in a gorgeous destination, and the new inclusion of a headquarter hotel positions Miami Beach as a prime spot for meetings, conventions and tradeshows. This is an amazing opportunity for the local community and the industry, coming together at just the right time.”

The Miami Beach Convention Center is the centerpiece to Miami Beach’s meetings and conventions industry. Reimagined following a $620 million renovation, the expanded MBCC includes a new 60,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom, almost 500,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, an expanded Grand Lobby and pre-function areas that are bathed in natural light, up to 84 breakout rooms, 1,610 miles of fiber optic cabling and 480 miles of copper wiring to support all IT communications, $7.1 million dollars’ worth of art curated by the City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places program, a new six-acre public green space that can serve as incremental event space, and much, much more.